It’s a weird in-between season around here. Not exactly fall because those leaves are long gone and the only color in the trees alternates between a half-dead brown and white snow, depending on the day’s high temperature. And not exactly full-blown winter because….well, basically only because we haven’t put up our Christmas decorations!
We talk about our plan for leaf removal, daily. Or more accurately, how our plan for leaf removal may have to wait until spring. Dave is still bragging about his Walleye fishing (he would not give me the ok to report any specifics other than it was a “good” fall fishing season). And every day we dig out one more piece of cold weather gear (so far, we are at hats + gloves + the occasional base layer).
By this time of the year, we are finished with the task of putting the resort to bed for the winter. That means we have cleaned and closed down cabins, turned off the water and blown out the lines, taken all of the docks out of the lake, stored all the boats and lake toys, gathered up anything that could freeze and stashed it in a heated building, and taken apart all of the flowers and outside decorations (who bought all of these things, anyway?!?)
We have also gotten a jump on a few of the fall projects. Cabins #1-#4 got something they never knew they always wanted: a brand new septic system!!! And the pool and main deck project are well-underway. The new pavers are complete and we are busy reworking the framing and supports. It’s SLOW (but important :))
We are also putting into place a few ideas we picked up on our annual tour of some of our neighboring resorts – and as a result many of you will find enclosed bed bases when you move back into your cabin next summer for the week! You might find it handy that you can’t lose anything under the bed – but we really did this one because of our unending devotion to our fantastic housekeeping staff. While you will find it handy….they will adore how it simplifies their lives!
We are still adjusting to half of the Brookside kids being in school every day and shifting the schedule in our brains from a 1:00 pm start time for waterskiing to a 4:00 pm pick up time for the bus! (So far, no frantic phone calls from the bus garage)
We are watching the wildlife take back the neighborhood: a flock of turkeys makes its way through the resort every day, the deer who made it through hunting season are feeling rather bold about looking into our patio window every morning and a fox has been cruising around often enough that we will never again wonder what the fox says (the answer, by the way, is a horrible half bark-half scream that I would call one of the more unpleasant sounds of nature).
And if this all sounds like a different speed than summer: it is! The work never ends around here, but it certainly shifts. And in the fall – and the “middle fall” (or maybe early winter) – it shifts into a lower gear. One where the to-do list of today can easily roll over to tomorrow. And a good offer for a cup of coffee or a walk through the woods can easily trump anything else we have to do. We spend the weekends relaxing like normal people. And our only real deadline is the weather forecast (because those freezing temperatures are unforgiving when it comes to water lines and dock removal).
So, while we are over here enjoying our slow season and shifting into a lower gear we are also hoping that you have a slow season (or weekend or day or hour). Because it’s in this lower gear where we take the time to create new ideas, reflect on things that have worked, refocus our goals, check in on ourselves and our families and zoom out the lens so we can see the big picture. And if your routine allows for lots of seasons in this lower gear: we are a bit envious!
So, here’s to “Middle Fall” and shifting to a lower gear. But not for too long….because summer vacation is only 26 weeks away!
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Joanna is in Year 2 of blogging, but not Year 2 of resorting. After a childhood of playing at Brookside she has now been part of owning it for almost 7 years!
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